Taking titles from a mysterious blank book that possibly belonged to Rudolph Daemon, Tremblin invites three contestants to...
Despite the terrible events at Daemon Hall last year, horror writer Ian Tremblin is repeating his contest to discover and publish a talented young writer (Daemon Hall, 2007).
Taking titles from a mysterious blank book that possibly belonged to Rudolph Daemon, Tremblin invites three contestants to join past winner and former mental patient Wade Reilly along with Daemon Hall survivor Demarius for an evening of storytelling. During the sharing of the first story, the six writers are suddenly transported to Daemon Hall, where horror still lives. Whether they tell tales of haunted Native American hunting grounds, construction deaths or possessed tattoos that stitch themselves onto a host, the authors must share their stories and survive the night. Nance again uses the frame to present an enjoyable compilation of fireside tales. While none of the individuals has a fleshed-out personality, the narrative format really doesn't demand them. Daemon Hall is reminiscent of many a haunted house, and the Faustian bargain that underlies the story is comfortingly familiar. Polhemus’ stark artwork builds the mood, with heavy lines and crosshatching complementing the campfire nature of the tales.Pub Date: July 19, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8748-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Overall, unlikely to satisfy any real thirst for adventure.
Four teens struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic New York City.
After Jesse, Dave, Anna and Mini, 16-year-old youth ambassadors for the United Nations, are tossed around in a massive subway explosion, they emerge on the streets of the city to see people drinking from fire hydrants and rivers—and bodies. The teens take refuge in the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center, using the high vantage point to survey the remnants of Manhattan and plot their escape from the zombielike people they call Chasers. As Jesse scouts the bridges and tunnels, he learns that perhaps the Chasers are not as inhuman as they appear. Phelan, an Australian like narrator Jesse, uses slang judiciously, with minimal impact on the book’s overall readability. Jesse’s perceptions of New York City seem to come from a different era, with gangs and graffiti, though the author deserves credit for accurate geography. Secondary characters are given rough outlines, but they lack the nuance to add much to the narrative. In attempting to deviate from the normal zombie arc, Phelan fails to develop the Chasers as satisfyingly scary, making them awkward at best. Additional content includes both a discussion guide and an author question-and-answer section.
Overall, unlikely to satisfy any real thirst for adventure. (Adventure. 12-14)Pub Date: Oct. 30, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7582-8066-4
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Kensington
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
Against the plethora of mutant and superhuman narratives, this effort just feels shopworn.
Jacobs serves up a juvenile-detention story flavored with weirdness.
Shreveport Justice Cannon, know within the Casimir Pulaski Juvenile Detention Center for Boys as Shreve, is happy to deal candy and wait until his sentence is up. When Jack Graves arrives and is assigned to Shreve’s cell, Casimir Juvie starts receiving visits from the mysterious Mr. Quincrux and Ilsa. They are curious about Jack’s polydactyly—he is the titular 12-fingered boy—and the strange circumstances that brought Jack to Casimir. Shreve and Jack are forced to flee from Quincrux and his creepy ability to invade people’s minds, even as Shreve seems to develop a talent for mind hijacking as well. While both teens are perfectly likable, there’s nothing new about them either. Shreve’s back story of neglect and self-sacrifice and Jack’s outcast status based on physical appearance are all too familiar. Quincrux’s power adds a dash of paranormal horror, but a potentially intriguing exploration of moral relativism through Shreve’s possessions becomes more lecture than narrative. A string of seemingly random encounters provides action but works against narrative cohesion.
Against the plethora of mutant and superhuman narratives, this effort just feels shopworn. (Paranormal adventure. 12-14)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7613-9007-7
Page Count: 280
Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab
Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013
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